Grand Teton National Park
August 15-18, 2003
During the Mountain Artists' Rendezvous art show in Jackson, Wyoming, I grabbed a few hours to enjoy and photograph America's most beautiful mountain range outside of Alaska, then I stayed an extra day to concentrate on photography. It was an extraordinary experience--reminding me once again why my passion is photography.
Just as the sun set, a herd of American Bison wandered near the ranch where I was photographing among the old buildings called Mormon Row. The sagebrush plains were dry, and bison took advantage of the drought to take frequent dust baths. An individual would lay down and squirm on its back, sending up a thick cloud of dust that hung in the air. When the red sun set behind the dust, the backlighting of the dusty scene was magical.
A nature photographer spends a great deal of time waiting--for the right light, the right animal to mosey along, or for the rain to stop. In this case I was waiting along the Snake River at Oxbow Bend for whatever floated down the river. Then I noticed this dragonfly defending a small territory (perhaps 30' long) along the riverbank. As it hovered in front of me, I took a few pictures that show the pattern its wings make while in motion.
Stories and photographs Copyright © 2003 by Lee Rentz
Also while waiting along the Snake River, I spotted an American White Pelican on the river. I had hoped to photograph it, but some kayakers scared it off. Then I watched a female Common Merganser and her four half-grown chicks making their way down the shore of a long island. The mother led the way and when she dove for food, the four young dove virtually in unison with her (a blink of the eye and I would have missed the synchronous dive). Eventually they reached the upstream end of the island, and the mother ventured further upstream in the strong current. This was too much for the chicks: they struggled to keep up and, when they reached her, they all tried to climb up on her back for a ride. They were big enough that only two could sit comfortably at a time while the others cruised in her wake.
The old ranch buildings along Mormon Row are no longer occupied and are in various states of disrepair (though, according to a National Park Service sign, there will soon be some preservation work done on them). The screen door of this outbuilding had been painted several shades of green and blue over the decades, and all the layers of paint were peeling. I loved the close up details of the door, and this picture became my favorite.
Though I was not able to record it on film, I did have another interesting bird experience. While eating a quick picnic dinner at the Jenny Lake Boat Ramp, I spotted two adult Blue Grouse ambling along; they were casually feeding while keeping a respectful distance from the hikers who were excited to see and photograph them. Then a Common Raven, sitting atop a tall rock, spotted the two grouse and flew down to the ground a few feet away. One grouse went behind a tree, but the other grouse warily eyed the dark intruder. When the raven hopped to about four feet away, the grouse raised its hackles, raised and spread its tail slightly, lowered its head, and charged straight toward the raven, very nearly reaching it. The raven squawked, jumped up, and flew back a few feet. Then the raven approached again, and again the grouse charged, causing the raven to squawk and retreat. The raven continued testing the grouse about four more times, then flew off. The grouse won the encounter!
An old cattle loading chute frames Grand Teton at sunset.
LEE RENTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
Copyright © 2003 by Lee Rentz. All rights reserved.
Your phone and e-mail messages and inquires are welcome
Phone: 888-717-8011 (toll-free)
E-mail: lee@leerentz.com
[Ordering] [Portfolio] [Bio] [Show Schedule] [Galleries] [Photo Credits] [Adventures] [Stock List] [Free]
[Back to home page]